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Thursday, July 7, 2011

I received this weeks' Letter from Robert Genn and wish to share it as is:

"Can painting improve your health?"

July 8, 2011

Dear Johan,

Yesterday, Donna MacDonald of Calgary, Alberta wrote, "Is there a possibilitythat painting might improve your health? I've suffered from chronic migrainesfor over 30 years and I've noticed an amazing phenomenon. On the days that Ipaint I don't get a migraine! At first I thought it was a coincidence but afterclose observation to the timing it's become evident that there's a correlation.I started painting full time 5 years ago and it has literally changed my life!Have you heard of this?"

Thanks, Donna.

Migraines are one of the most frequently reported maladies ofartists. So when you mentioned you don't have them when you're painting, itwas music to my ears. Migraines are still not fully understood by the medicalprofession. There are several main types, and adult women are three times morelikely to have them as adult men. "Triggers" like stress, hunger, drink, dietand bright or moving lights can set them off. Apparently, a neurotransmittercalled serotonin plays a role. Low serotonin levels in the brain may lead toconstriction of blood vessels. Serotonergic agonists like triptins, LSD orpsilocin can activate serotonin receptors to stop a migraine.

Many painters find painting to be a leveling sanctuary in an otherwise franticworld. Perhaps it's because of the heightened involvement, challenge, andattention to detail that painting requires. Fact is, many of us attest to"feeling no pain" while painting. While the act of painting may not perk upyour depleted serotonin, it may release something I'm calling "muselocin." Thisis the nice stuff you feel when you're finding your muse.

Yes, others have reported to me that it's important to anticipate a good dayrather than a bad one. The potentially afflicted artist needs to set up,squeeze out, choose the right background music and, with a tall glass of coldwater, start to work. After a few minutes, mildly hypnotized by the job athand, the painter-patient becomes pleasantly "lost."

I can't attest to great gushes of good goo being released into the blood, butartists tell me they feel like something magic is happening. The élan ofpainterly process and ongoing accomplishment certainly eats time. It may justhead off pain as well. Back problems, anxiety and arthritis also respond to thisunderutilized and inexpensive drug.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: "Making art is good for your health, especially if it is done in fun."(Orythia Johnston)

Esoterica: The motivation to work against all odds also arises when you bringto your art a sense of service. By that I mean doing it for someone, or forsome noble cause. The art of giving neutralizes pain, both mental and physical."Artists are just as important as doctors and nurses," says Marni California."People need nourishing of their souls as well as their bodies; in Navajoculture the medicine man and artist are one and the same." We'Publish Post

I've included some of Donna MacDonald's work at the top of the current clickback.

http://clicks.robertgenn.com/collectors.phpInterestingly, Donna contributes 10% of her profits from the sale of herpaintings to Kiva, an organization that provides loans to people in third worldcountries to start or expand a business. "A wonderful way to feel like I'mmaking a difference!" she says.http://www.kiva.org/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Current clickback: "Flavour of the month" takes a look at the compulsion ofcollecting art, and the business of getting others to tell you what you need.A panel of Donna MacDonald's work is also included. Your further comments areappreciated.http://clicks.robertgenn.com/collectors.php

One great big fat FREE book!! Date extended by demand. Yep, a signed anddedicated copy if you sign up for a Premium Listing before August 30, 2011. Ifyou have work you think the world should see, please check us out. While ourlistings are mini-websites in themselves, we are particularly good at sendingvolumes of visitors to websites you may already have. Our service costs $100 peryear and we do all the set up. If you are thinking about it, please feel free todrop Robert a note atrgenn@saraphina.com. "I'll be happy to pass along anopinion as to your work's suitableness."http://painterskeys.com/pal/ http://clicks.robertgenn.com/new-book.php

The Workshop Calendar: A selection of workshops and seminars laid out inchronological order that will stimulate, teach, mentor, take you to foreignlands or just down the street. Many of these workshops are recommended byRobert and friends. Incidentally, if you are planning a workshop and you havephotos of happy people working, feel free to send them to us and we'll selectones to include in the workshops feature at no extra charge.http://clicks.robertgenn.com/workshops/workshop.php

The Art Show Calendar: If you or your group has a show coming up, put anillustrated announcement on the Painter's Keys site. The longer it's up, themore people will see it. Your announcement will be taken down automaticallyon the last day of your show. Please take a look here.http://clicks.robertgenn.com/artshows/artshows.php

Painter's Post: Every day there is new material going into this feature. Thisonline arts aggregator has links to art info, ideas, inspiration and all kindsof creative fun.http://painterspost.com/

If a friend is trying to subscribe to the Twice-Weekly Letter via ConstantContact, please let them know that as well as subscribing they must confirmtheir subscription.

Featured Responses: Alternative to the instant Live Comments, Featured Responsesare illustrated and edited for content. If you would like to submit your own forpossible inclusion, please do so. Just click 'reply' on this letter or write to:rgenn@saraphina.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Yes, please go ahead and forward this letter to a friend. This does not meanthat they will automatically be subscribed to the Twice-Weekly Letter. Theyhave to do it voluntarily and can find out about it by going to The Painter'sKeys website: